Chapter 2: Hospital Visit
A/N: Here we go into chapter two. There are a few unexpected things in this one, but they will be explained as the story progresses. However, if you have any questions, ask them. I will answer as best I can in another author note, barring spoilers of course. Enjoy!
I do not own My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, I just play with the characters.
Screwball sat on her hospital bed, waiting for the doctor to sign her release and trying not to scratch her bandage.
...Screwball...
"Huh? Did somepony say my name?" She looks around, but nopony is around.
...Screwball...where are you...
She looks around more frantically.
...come find me...Screwball...find me...
Screwball hops down and walks down the hall, following the mysterious voice. As she went, nopony even seemed to notice her let alone hear the words floating around.
...down here...
She carefully finds the staircase and descends.
…Screwball…find me…
"Where are you?" the filly whispers. No need to make anypony else concerned about her sanity.
…down here…behind a door…
"Can't you come through the door to make this easier?" She suddenly trips. She somehow manages to not get any more cuts or scraps from her tumble down the rest of the stairs.
…it's locked…
"Why are you locked up?" Screwball felt strangely comfortable, safe even, with the voice.
…they think I am crazy…they don't know who I am…
"They think I'm crazy too," she replies, stopping in front of a door. The owner of the voice is behind this door. Screwball knows this like she knows her own name.
…they don't know who you are either…
"Everypony seems to know that I'm the daughter of Dischord." Screwball hangs her head.
…that's who your father is…not who you are…
There is a tingle on Screwball's flank. She looks and sees her cutie mark glowing. The tingle runs up her spine. Two bumps form on her back. They grow and wiggle. Two beautiful violet wings sprout out of them. The tingle then travels to her forehead where a horn appears. The door glows and opens revealing a cerulean pony with a screw for her cutie mark. Their eyes have matching swirly patterns. They both have horns and wings. The new pony barks.
"Hello, my name is Screwball," she introduces herself.
I know you.
"I hear you say things, but your mouth only moves when you bark," Screwball comments on the confusing behavior.
I know it is odd. We can communicate to each other without speaking out loud. We are sisters, after all.
"I don't have a sister," the violet filly states.
Think about it, really concentrate. What is my name?
Screwball shuts her eyes. She really concentrates. A name floats through her thoughts and she knows that it is the right one. "Screwloose."
Yes. We match you and me.
"Let's go have some fun." They giggle together and it is the same innocent, yet completely disconcerting.
The two ponies leave the hospital. Not a single member of the staff even looks in their direction. They head towards the Everfree Forest. While they may not know exactly where they were going, the pair feels that they are going in the right direction somehow.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~meanwhile, back in Ponyville~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Where could she be?" Twilight is just shy of hysterics. Her friends have not seen her this upset since she missed that deadline for a weekly report on the magic of friendship to Princess Celestia.
"Calm down, sugar cube. We'll find her." Applejack always tries to remain calm in situations like this one.
"Let's just think this through. The poor dear had to go to the hospital. However, when we arrived, she was already gone," Rarity says. She finds that talking things out can help find a solution that a pony might not think of otherwise.
"The doctor signed for her release, but she vanished before he told her. Nopony saw her leave," Fluttershy adds, trying to be as helpful as she can be.
"Also, everypony seems to mysteriously know about who her father is," Rainbowdash mutters.
"That's certainly true. How did they all find out?" Applejack ponders.
"Girls, I think it's time to send for the princesses. We have looked everywhere. Screwball has been hurt both physically and emotionally. They need to know. Maybe they can find her," Twilight decides. She marches towards the library like she is going to a punishment. Her friends all follow her.
"Any luck?" Spike anxiously greets the fillies.
"None. I need you to take a letter to Princess Celestia and Princess Luna," Twilight sighs.
"Okay, ready." he grabs paper, ink, and a quill.
"Dear Princesses, I am sorry to report the lose of our guest. After multiple comments from multiple ponies about her father and an incident involving a rock thrown at her head, Screwball has truly vanished. I am sorry that I let you both down. My friends and I have looked all over Ponyville and can't find even a hint as to where she has gone. My hope is that she returned to Canterlot and to you. If she is at the palace would you please be so kind as to send a reply stating as much? We are very worried about her. Your student, Twilight Sparkle." Twilight recites what she wants Spike to write.
"Got it." Spike rolls up the scroll and seals it.
"Send it." Twilight closes her eyes so that she can't see the letter puff away.
"Don't worry, sugar cube. She'll turn up. Things aren't as bad as you think," Applejack says.
"Thanks AJ, but this is bad." Twilight goes to a window.
"There's the royal chariot," Pinkie Pie announces.
"Oh dear, that can't be good," Rarity adds.
"They are moving awful fast." Applejack looks towards Twilight.
Twilight swallows and watches the approach. I was indeed moving very quickly towards them. Any hope she had of Screwball being safe with the princesses fly from her head. Applejack is right. Things are not as bad as Twilight thought. They were much, much worse. She ran out of the library to meet the princesses where they will land. Her friends all follow closely behind her. Thankfully they are always there when she needs them.
"What happened, Twilight Sparkle?" Princess Luna skips over any form of greeting in favor of getting information.
"Where was the last place that she was seen?" Princess Celestia inquires.
It took all six of the friends, but the whole story came out. They gave as many details as they could remember. The princesses listened carefully through the entire story without saying a word. By the time the story finished, Twilight is extremely anxious about the princesses' reaction.
"Let us go to the hospital and see if our magic can pick up her trail, sister." Princess Luna is the first to speak.
"Perhaps we can also discover how poor Screwball's lineage was made public knowledge as well." Princess Celestia looks at Luna.
"I am so sorry I let you both down…" Twilight whispers.
"Oh Twilight, I know you did your best. There were simply too many things out of your control," Princess Celestia assures her student.
"We can discuss this all later. We need to try and find a trail as quickly as possible." Princess Luna paws the ground in her impatience to get started.
A/N: Thanks for reading! Review if you please!
